The Word This Week
Acts 18:1…
Departing Athens after his presentation of the Gospel to erudite intellectuals at the invitation of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers at Mars Hill, Paul headed to Corinth.
Again, since we know all Paul’s travels are directed by the Holy Spirit, we know Paul sensed the prompting to move on, even though there seemed to be sort of an open invitation from the Areopagus to hear more from Paul. Paul knew he had said enough at that appearance.
Unlike Athens, Corinth was no center of genteel thought.
Corinth was a major city, a crossroads of merchant shipping, located on the isthmus separating mainland Greece from the Peloponnesus. To save sailing distance smaller sailing vessels would offload their cargo and drag the ships over a stone path created to allow the ships to continue sailing on the other end. Larger ships would also offload their cargo, but the cargo would be loaded on another ship at the other end of the 3.9-mile isthmus to continue to its destination.
Corinth was therefore a city constantly filled with mariners visiting while the cargo from their vessels traversed the isthmus – and served as a center of brothels, bars, and other sources of entertainment for visiting sailors with time on their hands.
Corinth was a wicked city, along the lines of Las Vegas, or San Francisco. The Isthmian Games were held there, the year before and the year after the Olympic Games. (This was a Panhellenic series of athletic and musical competitions widely attended.)
Paul met Aquila and Priscilla at Corinth. They had recently been expelled from Rome. Emperor Claudius had his fill of the upset in the city of Rome caused by Jews disputing with newborn Christians there about Jesus being the Christ, so he expelled all the Jews from Rome.
Like Paul, their vocation was making tents, and so they became fast friends.
We learn a lot about Corinth in this chapter, and we also learn a lot about Paul and his ministry. This was his longest-lasting ministry assignment, covering 18 months. This was uniquely a city we are informed Jesus told Paul – that He had “many people in this city.” Paul remained there long enough to find all of those he coulda.
Pastor Bill
Departing Athens after his presentation of the Gospel to erudite intellectuals at the invitation of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers at Mars Hill, Paul headed to Corinth.
Again, since we know all Paul’s travels are directed by the Holy Spirit, we know Paul sensed the prompting to move on, even though there seemed to be sort of an open invitation from the Areopagus to hear more from Paul. Paul knew he had said enough at that appearance.
Unlike Athens, Corinth was no center of genteel thought.
Corinth was a major city, a crossroads of merchant shipping, located on the isthmus separating mainland Greece from the Peloponnesus. To save sailing distance smaller sailing vessels would offload their cargo and drag the ships over a stone path created to allow the ships to continue sailing on the other end. Larger ships would also offload their cargo, but the cargo would be loaded on another ship at the other end of the 3.9-mile isthmus to continue to its destination.
Corinth was therefore a city constantly filled with mariners visiting while the cargo from their vessels traversed the isthmus – and served as a center of brothels, bars, and other sources of entertainment for visiting sailors with time on their hands.
Corinth was a wicked city, along the lines of Las Vegas, or San Francisco. The Isthmian Games were held there, the year before and the year after the Olympic Games. (This was a Panhellenic series of athletic and musical competitions widely attended.)
Paul met Aquila and Priscilla at Corinth. They had recently been expelled from Rome. Emperor Claudius had his fill of the upset in the city of Rome caused by Jews disputing with newborn Christians there about Jesus being the Christ, so he expelled all the Jews from Rome.
Like Paul, their vocation was making tents, and so they became fast friends.
We learn a lot about Corinth in this chapter, and we also learn a lot about Paul and his ministry. This was his longest-lasting ministry assignment, covering 18 months. This was uniquely a city we are informed Jesus told Paul – that He had “many people in this city.” Paul remained there long enough to find all of those he coulda.
Pastor Bill